Industry suppliers to contact MPs

BFBi (Brewing, Food & Beverage Industry Suppliers’ Association) supports BBPA and SIBA by asking its Members, and the value chain supplying the brewing and pub industry, to contact their local MPs.

Says Ruth Evans MBE, Chief Executive “The Government needs to realise that every person in the country is affected by this insidious tax. A supply chain is just that – a chain – and its links reach into all sectors of a community, not just pubs and breweries. My Members have been experiencing the very challenging consequences of the global economy and the Beer Duty Escalator is a challenge too far for many. I have written to my local MP, who not only has a major brewer within his constituency, but also a number of craft brewers and suppliers who, in turn have suppliers – all of which are looking to run successful businesses, putting tax back into the economy rather than being shackled by a tax that limits their businesses.

I have contacted my Members to ask them to urge their MPs to attend this debate, to help protect their businesses, their customers’ businesses and their suppliers’ businesses”.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

BFBi was originally formed, in 1907, as the ABTA (Allied Brewery Traders’ Association) in response to the Government of the day’s legislative proposal, which would have threatened the closure of over 300,000 pubs. On September 27th 1908, over 120,000 workers from the brewing trade marched through Hyde Park in London to demonstrate against the proposal and, exactly two months later, the Bill was rejected in the House of Lords.

The Association has helped industry meet many challenges over the years – through two world wars, and, more recently, embracing European legislation.